I'm Free
by Evangeline Nightingale
Summary: As I suck at summaries, I'ma make this all fancy and tell you that this is a songfic with an exploration of Ristuka's feelings... Though it really isn't. Just read it? A simple oneshot. Some of it is glitching so I apologize in advance.


This be my first fanfic… I realize it's not that great – and is probably crappy in parts – but… It's been stuck in my head for a while, and I just needed to get it out.

It's quite a bit OOC, I realize, but... I've only read up to volume 7 of the manga, watched the whole entire anime, and am hopelessly confused about what happened to Seimei and how he faked his own death and what the heck Soubi is and why is Ritsuka's name not present and all that fun stuff. So... Yeah.  
Though I SHOULD have spent more time on this..

The song is "You Can't Take Me", by Bryan Adams. It's also in the Spirit soundtrack, but that's only for those who know.

--

**"I'm Free" **

"_Got to fight another fight –  
I gotta run another night.  
Get it out - check it out  
I'm on my way and I don't feel right…"_

A small boy wondered the city streets – alone. That in and of itself was strange. But it were the eyes of the boy that caught the attention of passerby, for those deep eyes shone with the knowledge that was far beyond this one's age.

Ritsuka lifted his head again – he hadn't realized he let it drop in the first place. He had gotten a call from Soubi minutes earlier, telling the much-younger Sacrifice that a battle needed his attendance. That made Ritsuka wary. Soubi could usually handle battles by himself – preferred to, actually – so what was so special about this one that Ritsuka was so desperately needed? And Soubi did sound desperate during the phone call that lasted a mere thirty seconds. The cat-eared boy twitched slightly as he increased the pace of his walking. Something just felt so… off.

"I gotta get me back – 

_I can't be beat and that's a fact.  
It's OK - I'll find a way.  
You ain't gonna take me down, no way…"_

A faint sound – a yelp of pain – and Ritsuka surged forward, running through the crowds of people on the streets towards the source. It sounded like Soubi… There was no way Ritsuka would stand for anything being done to Soubi. He had already lost his brother, and he would **not** allow anyone – or anything – to hurt the person that had known his brother best.

With Soubi, Ritsuka felt unbeatable. No one dared touch either one of them, lest the smaller boy order the Fighter to attack full-out. Soubi was quite well-known for his strength, as Ritsuka discovered, and that only made the boy all the more certain of himself. And this opponent, no matter how strong they were, would not defeat them – they had no chance.

"_Why did it all go wrong?  
I wanna know what's going on.  
And what's this holding me?  
I'm not where I supposed to be…"_

Ritsuka's eyes widened as he realized he was bound – his hands and feet in shackles, his neck surrounded by a thick collar. Something had gone wrong – terribly wrong – and even Soubi couldn't stop the oncoming attack… The young boy fell to his knees, his body shaking with the agony of the pain a Sacrifice had to suffer. This wasn't right. If Seimei was able to take this, accept this pain, then he would too – and Ritsuka's eyes searched for Soubi's, if only for mild reassurance. Instead, what they found was tenderness, love – and, as the blond Fighter kissed Ritsuka, as he pulled the light boy up from his knees and into his arms, Ritsuka wondered yet again at the irony of his name. He may be Loveless, but, with Soubi, he certainly did not feel that way.

_"I gotta fight another fight,  
I gotta fight will all my might.  
I'm getting out , so check it out  
Ya, you're in my way,  
So you better watch out!"_

"Soubi?"  
"Yes?"  
"Just don't kill them."  
"Yes."

As he leaned his head against the warm shoulder that supported his weight as the Fighter cast a spell that would take care of this opponent once and for all, Ritsuka pondered if he ever regretted a single time that he told Soubi to simply take care of someone like they were a nuisance rather than a person – and found that the answer was negative. All these people hid his past, and his brother, from him. They would have to get out of his way, or they would pay the price. And, as the spell battle ended and the chains released him, Ritsuka remained still, simply resting against Soubi's neck. This was what needed to be done if the boy was to be himself – ever.

---

R&R, people? Please? I sorta need to know what I should improve upon.

Though it's probably everything.


End file.
